With a price on his head and the Galactic Empire on his heels, Han Solo has always been a wanted man. And the role of a young Han Solo looks to be the most coveted part in Hollywood as thousands of young actors compete to make the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs.

Star Wars returns to cinemas for the first time in a decade this month in "The Force Awakens", featuring Harrison Ford reprising his famous role as space smuggler Han Solo. The film will kick off a series of spin-offs, one of which will tell the story of Solo as a young man. To say the part is hotly contested is an understatement.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes sources saying that more than 2,500 actors have auditioned in person or on tape -- or, as one unnamed agent puts it, the filmmakers are "seeing everyone".

Well-known names reported to be in the frame include "Fantastic Four" and "Whiplash" star Miles Teller and "Kick-Ass" star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. TV actors said to have an eye on the part include "Mr Robot" star Rami Malek and Carl from "The Walking Dead", also known as Chandler Riggs.

Solo performance

Click through our photo gallery to meet some of the names in the frame to play the galaxy's most famous stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder.

The spin-off Han Solo film will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the men behind "The Lego Movie" and "21 Jump Street". It's due to shoot in January 2017 and will hit cinemas in May 2018. The next question is, who's going to play young Lando?

What do you think of these potential new Star Wars stars? Are they young Han or young Han't? Han Solo or Han Nono? Tell us who's your favourite in the comments.